Lecture 1

Vedic Hymns & their philosophical import

Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa

Discovery of two 4000 year old cities & 400 miles apart Well-constructed cities of advanced civilisation Not much idea of these ancient people Mohenjo-Daro = Hill of dead No idea of the collapse Indus Valley Civilization Abandoned about 1700BC Possibility - Great flood, devastating earthquake, invasion

by Aryans Still finding new artifacts

Invasions

Indian languages and cultures from external influnces Through NW border even protect by Northern Himilayas as

natural barriers Dravidians first Indian inhabitants Believe these people from East Africa Aryans conquered Dravidians about 1500BC Aryans related to Persians and Europeans Sanskrit similar to Greek and Latin Invading armies from Persians, Alexander the Great and

Huns from Central Asia were early invaders 800AD Muslims settled in South Indus River Invaded India around 1000AD with their swift horses

Invasions

Indo-Aryans brought a religion on the principal of One God (Tawheed)

Vedas used to praise the powers of Nature Bought with them fire worship, Soma, composing

religious poems Hymns for praising gods & accompany with

offerings Since Vedic times till today, Vedas knowledge

supposed to be accessed by hereditary priesthood

What are Vedas?

Earliest literature record of Indo-Aryan civilization Most scared books of India Original scriptures of Hindu teachings, spiritual knowledge Philosophical truths stood over the test of time Highest authority for all Hindus Means wisdom, knowledge, vision Language of Gods in human speech Laws of Vedas regulate - social, legal, domestic and

religious customs Obligatory duties of Hindus Drawn from thought of successive generation generation of

thinkers and different levels of thought

Origin of Vedas

Earliest documents of human mind Difficult to confirm earliest portions of Vedas

came into existence Hindus seldom kept historical record of their

religious, literary and political realization Another said as Hindus need to reincarnate to

next life why record? Historians provide many guesses None free from ambiguity

Who wrote the Vedas?

Believed humans did not compose the revered Vedas

Handed down through generations by word of mouth

General assumptions - Vedic hymns taught by God to the sages or revealed themselves to the sages who are the guardians of the hymns

Known to be compiled by Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana around 1500BC ( Time of Lord Krishna)

Classification of the Vedas

Divided into fourRig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and

Atharva VedaRig Veda - main textFour vedas also known as “Chathurveda”First 3 Vedas agree in form, language and

content

Structure of the Vedas Each veda consists of Four parts Samhitas (hymns), Brahmanas (rituals), Aranyakas (theologies),

Upanishads (philosophies) Collection of mantras/hymns is called samhita Brahmanas - ritual texts - include precepts and religious duties Each Veda has several Brahmanas attached to it Upanishads form the concluding portions of the Veda and known

as “Vedanta” - end of the Veda and essence of Vedic teachings Upanishads and Aranyakas are concluding portions of Brahmanas

dealing with philosophical problems Aryanyakas - forest texts - objects of meditation for ascetics Earliest civilized inhabitants worshipped a mother Goddess and a

horned fertility God Worshipped sacred trees, animals, ritual washing and purification

Rig Veda Hymns considered to be oldest and most important of the Vedas Composed between 1500BC to 900BC Consist of more than 1,000 hymns and organized into 10 mandalas or

circles 2nd through 7th are the oldest 10th the most recent Works of many authors, seers called “rishis” 7 primary seers. Examples- Atri, Kanwa, etc Vedas gradually reduced extensively Considered best source of knowledge Doctrines seems to have improved Hymns for praising Aryan Gods for giving them victories in war and

wealth plundered Superior weaponry and skill in fighting Hymns of horses and warriors with spokes, spears, bow, arrows and

iron weapons

Rig Veda-continuation

From nomadic to agriculture way of life, established new social structure of patriarch families dominated by warriors

Eventually with the power of the Vedas the priests dominated

Worshipped of devas with brightness and radiance

Worshipped Sky Gods e.g Prthvi, Aditi Greatest God Indra (War and weather God),

many gods for various purposes.

Sama Veda

Contains melodies or music for chants from Rig Veda for sacrifices

All verses are traceable to Rig Veda 8th & 9th books devote to Indra, Agni and Soma Considered as origin of Indian music and

stimulated great artistry to make sacrifices worthwhile to their patrons who supported the priests

Train musicians and functional as a hymnal for religious rites.

Yajur Veda Many hymns of the Rig Veda deviates from the original text on ritual formulas Two collections of ‘samhitas’ called white and black After 10BC conquest of Aryans were quite complete Caste system in place, warriors settled as ruling class over

the agricultural society Priests and ceremonies gained influence and exerted over

the wide society of people Indigenous were enslaved amd as cheap labor for the

ruling class Famous horse sacrifice by the royals. Parts of the horse

symbolize different aspects of the universe so that tremendous power is invoked.

Complicated and obscure rituals used as representation of the Aryan dominance of land and waters of India and natural powers what sustain agriculture.

Athara Veda Latest and 4th Veda of different category 3 Vedas:- Rig Veda-reciting, Sama Veda-Singing and Yajur

Veda-ritual Draws from the customs and beliefs of the Pre-Aryan or

Pre-Vedic India Much longer than Sama and Yajur veda and only 1/6 of Rig

Veda. Magical spells and magical words Line between the prayer and magic and between white and

black magic is usually drawn by ethical considerations Bheshajani - healing, cures using herbs to treat fever,

leprosy, jaundice, dropsy and other diseases Aryans look down on local herbal medicine as they were

more advance in treating illness Also used for successful childbirth, romance, fecundity,

virility, etc